Implications for the development

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октор филологии, Институт культурного наследия, МОКИ 
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ХЛЕБ В ЗИМНИХ ОБЫЧАЯХ И ОБРЯДАХ ГАГАУЗОВ
(от дня Св. Андрея до дня Св. Игнатия)
Summary. Bread in winter customs and rituals of the Gagauz people (from the day of St. An-
drew to the day of St. Ignatius). 
This article presents an analysis of the semantics, symbolism and 
ritual functions of bread in the customs and rituals of the Gagauz at the beginning of winter. In the 
days of St. Andrew, St. Barbara, St. Nicholas and St. Ignatius, ceremonial bread (grain, flour and fin-
ished products) is endowed with producing, apotropic and medicinal properties. In the rites of St. 
Andrew’s Day, the producing function of bread was realized through grain, flour and ritual cakes. The 
flat breads, baked on St. Barbara’s Day, were endowed with a protective function, they were empow-
ered with the magical power of health, protection from measles, smallpox and plague diseases. In the 
rituals of the feast of St. Nicholas (winter) ceremonial bread is absent, only wheat grains are used. In 
the ritual activities of the day of St. Ignatius, the element of the border was of decisive importance - the 
time when a connection with the other world was established, from which a person expected support 
in vital spheres of activity. This transtemporal connection was symbolized by grain, flour, bread or 
food from cereals, which served as a sacrifice. Bread was exchanged for health, prosperity in the fam-
ily, wealth received from otherworldly forces, with which, according to the traditional world view of 
the Gagauz, contact was maintained at certain periods of the calendar year. Wheat grains magically 
ensured the continuity of future grain bearing cycles. Corn and wheat grains, koliva (boiled wheat 
grains sweetened with honey or sugar with the addition of raisins), ceremonial bread in the form of a 
flat cake (çörek, pita) or kalacha (kolaç) at the Ignazhna meal symbolized the fertility of the household 
and the well-being of the family.